By Lynn H. Blackburn One of my family’s favorite things to do is to ride the Virginia Creeper Trail. Built on an old railroad bed, the Virginia Creeper Trail offers a unique biking experience. Seventeen miles. Downhill. Really. It’s an amazing ride. The scenery is stunning, and the trail is open to cyclists of all experience levels. As you head …
Three Tips for Writing a Novella that Feels Like a Full Book
by Melissa Tagg I wrote my first novella in 2014…and, true story, I had noooo clue what I was doing! I’d published three novels at the time. I’d written short stories in college. But nothing in-between. Since then, though, I’ve written four more novellas and they’ve become some of my very favorite writing projects. I’ve also been intentional about reading …
Three Tips for Writing a Novella that Feels Like a Full Book
by Melissa Tagg I wrote my first novella in 2014…and, true story, I had noooo clue what I was doing! I’d published three novels at the time. I’d written short stories in college. But nothing in-between. Since then, though, I’ve written four more novellas and they’ve become some of my very favorite writing projects. I’ve also been intentional about reading …
Is Brandilyn Collins a Rock Star in the Christian Fiction Market?
by Michael Hicks Thompson I’ll let you decide. Not only has Brandilyn Collins been on the ACFW Executive Board since 2001 (one year after its founding), she’s the emcee for the annual conferences. She’s won the Carol Award three times, the Inspirational Reader’s Choice, Romantic Times Reviewers’ Choice, the Inspy, the Christian Retailer’s Best Award (twice), and finaled in numerous …
Is Brandilyn Collins a Rock Star in the Christian Fiction Market?
by Michael Hicks Thompson I’ll let you decide. Not only has Brandilyn Collins been on the ACFW Executive Board since 2001 (one year after its founding), she’s the emcee for the annual conferences. She’s won the Carol Award three times, the Inspirational Reader’s Choice, Romantic Times Reviewers’ Choice, the Inspy, the Christian Retailer’s Best Award (twice), and finaled in numerous …
Book to Movie?
by Michael Hicks Thompson What author doesn’t want their book made into a movie? It’s what launched John Grisham’s career. Remember The Firm? How’d Grisham accomplish that feat? Serendipity, for one. He took his manuscript to Willie Morris, the famous author from Yazoo City, Mississippi. At the time, Willie was Writer in Residence at Ole Miss. Grisham asked Willie to …
Lessons Learned from NaNoWriMo
by Christa Kinde I first heard about NaNoWriMo from writing friends. They talked about the annual event with a blend of reverence and enthusiasm that made me curious. For those not in the know, November is National Novel Writing Month, and participants attempt to write 50,000 words in 30 days. Exactly the sort of crazy scheme I enjoy. For the …
Oh That Heartfelt First Book!
By Dana Mentink Did you ever devour an author’s first book and find the rest of the series slightly different? Perhaps in tone or intensity, even in the style? I recently had a conversation with some book loving folks about that very subject. What is the reason for this “first book” phenomenon? I’ll tell you my perspective, for what that’s …
Total Recharge
By Darlene L. Turner Josiah trudged along the narrow path. He stopped, shifted his backpack, and forced himself to keep moving in spite of the shooting pain coursing through his leg. He kept his mind focused on the solitude of his mountaintop destination. The agony of the climb would be worth it. It had been a rough six months with …
Paying It Forward
By Lenora Livingston “Paying it Forward” is an expression for describing the recipient of a good deed repaying it to others instead of to the original benefactor. What better way can a person show their thankfulness than to participate in the rippling effects of goodness. At age 78, I wish I could go back and thank my teachers who most …